The things Quicken Loans team members care about and want to share with the world

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Landon Sullivan was a marketing intern last semester. He has moved back to his home state of Utah to pursue other opportunities. We wish him well and hope our readers enjoy his post.

From September 2001 – September 2003, I was able to spend two years in the Dominican Republic as a missionary for my church. During my time there, I had many life-altering experiences. For example, I was part of a clean up crew after a grocery store was burnt to the ground. I also helped people do yard work on several occasions among many other things.

On one occasion, my friend and I spoke with a lady outside her small home. This lady was very poor. Her tiny wooden house did not stand at a 90 degree angle to the ground and could have been easily pushed over by a strong wind. As we spoke with her, I watched her son play around in a small stream that had been created while she was washing her laundry in a small bucket.

She told us about her severe poverty and said that her son had actually been featured in one of the commercials asking viewers to ‘sponsor a child.’

I think we have all seen the commercials to which I’m referring. They always show the kid with a frown on his/her face and the narrator encouraging viewers to help by donating money. It was such a strange experience to realize that I had met one of those unfortunate children.

However, this particular child did not resemble those featured in the commercials in that he did not have a frown on his face at all. He was jumping through the water and looked as content as even the wealthiest of children.

That experience, for me, was the Diff. That kid was the Diff. He didn’t have what so many other kids have, but he did have a stream of water and the strength to run and jump. He obviously wasn’t thinking about what he didn’t have. He was enjoying what he did have. I hope that I can be more like that kid!